Rotary printing press



Aug. 5, 1947. E. w. WORTHINGTON ROTARY PRINTING PRES S Filed Sept. 27. 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l ENTOR. E- W. wom-nmer'ro N Mk -DWM 1947- E. w. WQRTHINGTON 2,425,218

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III II N gl/ "huh.

INVENTOR. E- w WORTH \NC-xTON Patented Aug. 1947 a ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Emory W. Worthington, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Goss Printing Press Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 27, 1944, Serial No. 555,903

This invention relates to rotary printing presses and is more particularly concerned withregistration devices for such rotary printing presses, and with axial and circumferential adjustments for effecting such registration.

. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation with certain parts in section of an embodied form of apparatus for effecting registration according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section of the apparatus of Figure 1, taken on the lines 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the coupling of the apparatus of Figure 1.

In rotary printing presses, for example of the type used for rotogravure printing, it is an advantage to be able to adjust the printing cylinder in an axial direction and independently in a circumferential direction, while the cylinder is running, to effect correct printing register and to adjust for any out of registration in either direction at all times.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide novel and improved means for independently effecting axial and circumferential registration, in a rotary printing press.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple effective and accurate means for adjusting a. cylinder of a rotary printing press, axially and circumferentially, for registration purposes, through the medium of the coupling means between the cylinder driving means and the cylinder.

Generally, in carrying out the present invention, the rotary printing cylinder is driven from a suitable drive shaft through appropriate gearing with coupling means between the cylinder shaft and the driving means. This coupling means, in accordance with the present invention, is so arranged that within the structure thereof 7 Claims (Cl- 101-248) there are provided means for effecting axial movements of the cylinder to effect axial registration and independently operable means for eiiecting circumferential movements of the cylinder to effect circumferential registration. To this end, the driving means which may be of conventional form pass their power to a coupling which preferably comprises one member with two sets of gear teeth thereon and two other independent members each formed with teeth to cooperate with one set of teeth of said first member, one o1 the gear trains thus formed being axlally adjustable, and the other thereof being circumferentially adjustable, without disturbing their effective operations.

Preferably, the coupling comprises an external collar having at one end internally therein one set of teeth, such as helical teeth, and at the other end, internally therein another set of teeth, such as spur teeth, and this collar is rotatably driven from suitable driving means by one member having external teeth, such as helical teeth. The

other toothed portion of the collar is adapted to drive an externally toothed member, such as a spur gear, which spur gear is drlvingly attached to the cylinder to rotate same.

Means are provided to relatively slide the external spur gear with respect to its cooperating teeth to effect axial movements of the cylinder and separate means are provided to rotatively change the relationship of the internal spiral gear and its cooperating gear to effect circumferential registration. Such means may be photoelectric cell devices operating in accordance with indications of errors in registration of the printed material or alternatively may be manually operated, upon observation of such errors in registration, or by both means.

The coupling, ,in accordance with this invention, is so constructedthat the means for effecting both axial and circumferential registration and the means for driving effectively the cylinder are incorporated therein for simplicity of construction and of operation.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a rotary printing cylinder in mounted. for rotational movements in an anti-friction,

bearing [.2 by a shaft II. Bearing I2 is carried in a part l3 of the side frame of the printing press. At the portion nearest the cylinder the 3 shaft II has an enlarged portion l4 thereby forming a shoulder I! which limits the movementsof the shaft II in one direction through the bearing II when the shoulder it contacts the inner race of the bearing i2. Shaft ii is adapted to be moved axially through the inner race it of the bearing i2 to permit of axial movements of cylinder III, as hereinafter brought out, for the Purp se of obtaining side registration of the printing cylinder with respect to the paper or the like to be printed.

Shaft ll extends through the bearing l2 and has an extension I! which is adapted to be coupled to means for rotating the'shaft and thereby rotating the printing cylinder i0. When the cyl-.

inder iii is of the type used for rotogravure print? ing, it is necessary that this cylinder be readily removed from its bearings and to this end the extension I l of shaft II is adapted to be coupled to the driving means by clamp bar iii of conventional form. This clamp bar It is pivotally mounted in one half of a split collar or flange i3 and has a threaded end 20 which is adapted to be fastened by a nut 24 to a flange (not shown) on the other half of the split collar i9, whereby conventionally, the two split halfs of the collar i8 can be clamped about shaft extension ll with a positive grip using nut 2i and can quickly be released from clamping position and the clamp bar It allowed to assume the unattached position of Figure 1, when it is desired to remove shaft Ii from its bearings.

In accordance with the present invention, the coupling means for causing rotational movements of the shaft II and thus cylinder Ill have incorporated therein means to permit both axial and circumferential relative movements of the cylinder for both side and circumferential register of the printing cylinder. To this end the driving coupling 25 comprises an outer member in the form ofa collar 26 which is adapted to be driven by one gear connected with the cylinder driving means and to pass on the rotatory movements caused thereby to another gear, and therefrom to the shaft ll of cylinder iii, each of said gears being adjustable relative to the coupling '25 for such registration purposes, as hereinafter brought out.

The power to ultimately rotate the cylinder I is obtained from a vertical drive shaft 21 driven from a suitable prime mover (not shown), and mounted for rotation in an anti-friction bearing 28. Bearing 28 is carried by a bearing block 29 which is mounted, as by screw bolts 30, on the side frame member l3.

Splined, as at 24, upon the extending end of shaft 21 is a beveled gear 3| the gear 32 being splined, as at 33, onto an elongated tubular drive shaft. Shaft 34 is mounted for rotation in an anti-friction bearing 35, this bearing being supported in a block 35 forming an extension of the bearing block 29 and being supported thereby as by a joint 31. Tubular shaft 34 is intermediately supported by a further bearing 38 in a block 33, this block being also carried by the bearing block The bearing blocks and their extensions are so arranged that the gears 3i and 32 are enclosed set screw 43 and therefore as the driving shaft 21 rotates. gear 43 will be driven thereby through gears 3i and 32. Gear 43 extends internally of the collar 24 of coupling 25 and is adapted to engage with an internal helical gear within one end of member 23, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, whereby as gear 45 is rotated it will in turn rotate collar 23 of the coupling 2|;

At the other end of the collar 24 there is an.- other internal gear in theform of an elongated spur gear 44 which meshes with and is adapted to drive a narrow toothed externally threaded spur gear 4| within the member 24. Spur gear 43 is formed on an extension of, or is suitably attached to, the flange II which is coupled to the shaft Ii .by the clamp bar i2, as hereinbefore described. By this means, the main driving shaft 21 will rotate the tubular shaft 34 through beveled gears 3| and 32 which in turn will rotate gear 45 carrying collar 23 of coupling 2| therewith and thus collar 23, through the medium of intermeshing gears 48 and 4|, will rotate flange ll, shaft ii, and cylinder Ill, when the clamp bar I! is in operative or clamping position.

In accordance with this invention, it is desired that the cylinder it be rotated relative to its driving means both when at rest and when bein driven by such driving means, in order to effect circumferential register while at the same time independently effecting axial movements of the cylinder l0 relative to its driving means, both when the driving means is at rest and is in operative driving position to effective side register.

To effect the side register by axial movements of the cylinder [0. there is provided a rod 22 which is carried internally of tubular shaft 34 and is mounted for increments of longitudinal movements therewithin by" means of a screw threaded portion ii at the end near the bearing 35. this screw threaded portion cooperating with a threaded bore 52 within a member 33 carried by the bearing block 23. Fast upon the threaded end ii of rod ill is a handwheel 34, this being fixed to the rod by a pin II. Thus by turning the handwheel 54 in one or the other direction the rod 30 will be moved longitudinally inwardly or outwardly within the tubular shaft 34 and by providing a relatively fine thread for the cooperthereby for protection this enclosure being formed by block 36 and its extensions 40, block 33 and its extensions 4! and bearing block 23 and its extension 42.

Tubular shaft 34 extends beyond its bearing 33 and carries at its extremity a helical gear 45.

ating threaded portions Ii and 52, small amounts of movements can be obtained.

Shaft III is adapted to directly contact spur ear 49 and move the spur gear 43 and the flange l9 bodily as desired, to effect axial adJustment of cylinder it. To this end, the free extremity of rod 50 is mounted in a bearing 51, within the body of spur gear 49, to permit easy rotation of the rod 50, and is fixedly associated with the spur gear 43 by means of a cover plate 53 held in place by screws 59 passing within threaded portions of the body of spur gear 43 which retains bearing 51 in place. The extremity of rod II is retained from independent movements with respect to flange I! by a washer 80, held in position by a set screw 9| in a bore 32 located in the end of the rod 0.

In order to accommodate for the longitudinal movements of rod 50 which will cause longitudinal movements of spur gear 43, that is axial movements relative to the axis of the printing cylinder, internal gear 43 within the body of the coupling 25 is made longer than the width of the teeth of the spur gear 43, so that whatever adjustment actually is effected by turning hand- Gear 45 is held in fixed relation to shaft 34 by a wheel 54 and moving rod inwardly or outwardly the spur gear 49 will be in full driven contact with its driving gear 48. Thus axial movements in either direction can be imparted to the shaft H and thus the cylinder\i0, at all times, even when the drive shaft 21 is effectively driving the 5 cylinder Ill and without, in any way, disturbing or effecting the actual driving means, and, accordingly, accurate side register of the cylinder can be obtained while the cylinder is being driven.

In order to effect cylindrical register of cylinder i [0 there is provided. a rod 80 mounted within /a bearing 8| carried by bracket. 82, which is supported upon the extension 4! of block 38. At one end and preferably closely associated with handwheel 54 there is a handwheel 83 fixed to the rod 15 88 by a pin 84. At the other end of rod 50 there is a threaded portion 88 upon which is mounted a rider 81, whereby upon rotation of handwheel 83,

flder 51 will move in one or the other direction bodily upon the threaded portion 58 by virtue of a 20 threaded bore 88 within the rider 61. Attached to the rider 61 at the upper end by screw threaded bolts '12 are a pair of levers HI whichare shaped to embrace the body of coupling 25,'as specifically shown in Figure 2, being substantially U -shaped levers with right angle extending lugs on each of the arms. The upper lugs 13 are attached by bolts 12 to the rider 81 and the lower lugs 14 are pivotally carried by a pin I5 within a bracket 18 which is mounted upon one flange 11 of bearing block 29. Thus, as rider 8! moves upon the rod 80 the levers 10 are simultaneously swung around their pivot pins and are thus moved relatively longitudinal but in an arcuate path with respect to. the body of the coupling 25.

Extending inwardlytoward coupling from a central position on each of the levers 10 are rollers 80 mounted upon pins 8| one of which is suitably screw threaded as at 82 in each of the levers l0. Cooperating with the rollers 80 is a groove or track 85 on the body of coupling. 25, being as illustrated, formed by a pair of circumferential upstandin lugs 88. The width of the groove or tack 85 so formed is substantially the diameter of rollers 80 whereby as the member 28 of coupling 25 rotates, rollers 80 will be clearof direct contact with the inside faces of the upstanding lugs 86 when the apparatus is in its normal position such as is shown in Figure 1 with the levers '58 in a substantially vertical position. Upon rotation of handwheel 63 in either direction the levers I0, as they swing around their pivot F5 in the direction selected, will cause rollers 88 to contact one lug 88 of the track 85 and upon continued movement in that direction the whole of the member 28 of coupling 25 will be bodily moved axially under the urge of rider 61, levers i0, and rollers 80. This movement is ineffective to change the spur gear drive 48-49 since the gear 48 will be moved relative to the gear 49 without effecting this in any way and thus, the axial position of cylinder III will be unaffected. However, the movement of the member 28 bodily with respect to the gear 45 will cause a different relative circumferential position between .helical gears 45' and 41, with the result that the member 28 will be circumferentially moved relative to the gear 45 and will move gears 48 and 49 simultaneously'circumferentially carrying the shaft I I and thus the cylinder l8 with it. By forming the helical gears 45 and 41 with a relatively small angle, such as therewill be attained a minute adjustment under urge of movements of rider 61 and such movements will have no effect upon the driving means for rotating the cylinder, whereby such circumferential movements of the cylinder [0 can be made while the cylinder I8 is being rotated from the drive shaft 21, and without in any way effecting this drive.

In accordancewith this invention, it is therefore possible to adjust the cylinder I0 axially in either direction by use of the handwheel 54, rod

50 and spur gear 49, and separately to effect relative circumferential movements for circumferential register by turning handwheel 63 thus moving levers I0 in one direction or the other and cause relative rotational movement between gears 45 and 41, whereby member 26 of the coupling 25 is circumferentially moved relative to tubular shaft 34. It is to benoted that these adjustments are effected through the medium of one single coupling 25 which coupling simultaneously serves as the means for passing the driving force from shaft 21 through to shaft ll,

thus providing a simple unitary and compact means for driving such a rotary printing cylinder with control of both axial and circumferential register in a minute degree.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages,

What is claimed is:

1. In a rotary printing press having a printing cal teeth; a spur gear attached to said cylinder meshing with said straight teeth and being driven. thereby, means axially moving said spur gear relative to said straight teeth on said collar, for axially adjusting said cylinder for registration, while it is being driven and means cir-, 2

cumferentially moving said collar relative to said helical gear, for circumferentially adjustin said cylinder for registration while it is being driven.

2. In a rotary printing press having a printing cylinder, a. shaft for rotating the cylinder, means for effecting axial and circumferential registration of the cylinder including in combination a coupling comprising a collar having straight teeth at one end and helical teeth at the other end, a helical gear attached to said shaft and drivingly meshing with said helical teeth, a spur gear attached to said cylinder meshing with said straight teeth and being driven thereby, manual means axially moving said spur gear relative to said straight teeth on said collar, for axially adjusting said cylinder for registration, while it is being driven and manual means circumferentially moving said collar relative to said helical gear, for circumferentially adjusting said cylinder for registration while it is being driven.

3. In a rotary printing press having a printing cylinder and a shaft for rotating the cylinder,

means for registration of the cylinder including in combination a coupling having a collar formed with internal helical teeth at one end and internal straight teeth at the other end, a spur gear attached to the cylinder having its teeth in mesh with the internal straight teeth to be 1 driven thereby, adjustable means for moving the spur gear bodily within the collar to effect axial registration 01'- the cylinder, an externally toothed helical gear driven by said shaft and having its teeth in mesh with the internal helical teeth of the collar to rotate the collar, and adjustable .helical teeth at one end and internal straight teeth at the other end, a spur gear attached to the cylinder having its teeth in mesh with the internal straight teeth to be driven thereby, adjustable means for moving the spur gear bodily within the collar to effect axial registration of the cylinder, the width of th'e teethof the straight straight teeth at the other end, a spur gear attached to the cylinder having its teeth in mesh with the internal straight teeth to be driven thereby, adjustable means for moving the spur gear bodily within the collar to eflect axial registration of the cylinder, an externally toothed helical gear driven by said shaft and having its teeth in mesh with the internal helical teeth of the collar to rotate the collar, and adjustable means for axially moving the collar relative to the helical gear including a screw threaded rotatable rod having a ridermounted thereon, said internal gear being greater than the width of the teeth of spur gear to accommodate for such relative axial movements, an externally toothed helical gear driven by said shaft and having its teeth in mesh with the internal helical teeth of the collar to rotate the collar, and adjustable means for axially moving th'e collar relative to the helical gear to eil'ect relative circumferential movement between the meshing helical teeth, and thus to circumferentially adjust the re'gistration of said cylinder.

5. In a rotary printing press having a printing cylinder and a shaft for rotating the cylinder, means for effecting axially and circumferential registration of the cylinder including in combination a coupling having a collar formed with internal helical teeth at one endand internal straight teeth at the other end, a spur gear attached to the cylinder having its teeth in mesh with the internal straight teeth to be driven thereby, adjustable means including a rotatable screw threaded rod and cooperating threaded col-. lar, said rod being attached to the spur gear, for moving the spur'gear bodily within the collar to effect axial registration of the cylinder, an externally toothed helical gear driven by said shaft and having its teeth in mesh with th'e internal helical teeth of the collar to rotate the collar, and adjustable means for axially moving the collar relative to the helical gear to eifect'relative circumferential movement between the meshing helical teeth, and thus to circumferentially adjust the registration of said cylinder.

6. In a rotary printing press having a printing cylinder and a shaft for rotating the cylinder, means for effecting axially and circumferential registration of the cylinder including in combination a coupling having a collar formed with internal helical teeth at one end and internal rider carrying yoke embracing said collar and bodily moving same axially under urge of said of said cylinder.

7. In a rotary-printing press having a printing cylinder, and a shaft for rotating the cylinder, means for effecting axial and circumferential registration of the cylinder including in combination a coupling having an external collar internally formed at one end with wide straight teeth and at the other end with helical teeth, a narrow tooth spur gear directly attached to the cylinder, and meshing with th'e straight teeth of the collar to be driven thereby, an externally toothed helical driving gear carried by a hollow drive shaft driven by said shaft, and meshing with said internal helical teeth to rotate said .collar, an operating rod attached to said spur REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,868,385 Greenwood July 19, 1932 1,745,467 Barber Feb. 4, 1930 1,850,802 Langston et al Mar. 22, 1932 1,856,363 Tuttle May 3, 1932 1,973,058 Gangler Sept. 11, 1934 2,110,272 Mayer Mar. 8, 1938 Barber Feb. 8, 1944 

